Apparatus for and method of extracting time series image information

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to construct a sensing system capable of extracting change information as new time series information from a continuous moving picture in a non-contact manner and remotely without requiring a special illuminating and irradiating device and driving the succeeding processing system as required, to clearly show a phenomenon in an arbitrary frequency band existing in the moving picture. The present invention provides an apparatus for and a method of extracting time series image information, which comprises input means for inputting a moving picture of an object, primary processing means for detecting a primary information change in each of corresponding regions of a frame at a time point T0 which is updated and a frame at a time point T1 which is updated in a predetermined relationship with the time point T0 with respect to natural time series information on the moving picture inputted at a predetermined frame rate, secondary processing means for newly arranging the primary information change as an element to create a time-series-signalized primary information change which is arbitrary time series information and extracting a time-series-signalized secondary information change having a physical meaning different from that of the time-series-signalized primary information change as required.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for extracting time series image information comprising: input means for inputting a moving picture of an object;   primary processing means for detecting a primary information change in each of corresponding regions of a frame or field at a time point T0 which is updated and a frame at a time point T1 which is updated in a predetermined relationship with the time point T0 with respect to natural time series information on said moving picture inputted at a predetermined frame rate, said primary information change representing a changed component image as one scalar or only one vector;   secondary processing means for newly arranging said primary information change as an element to create a time-series-signalized primary information change which is arbitrary time series information and extracting a time-series-signalized secondary information change having a physical meaning different from that of the time-series-signalized primary information change as required; and   higher-order processing means for extracting a higher-order characteristic parameter as required;   output means for outputting the time series image information, primary information change, natural time series information, time-series-signalized primary information change, arbitrary time series information, time-series-signalized secondary information change and the higher-order characteristic parameter; and   internal control means for controlling the time series image information, primary information change, natural time series information, time-series-signalized primary information change, arbitrary time series information, time-series-signalized secondary information change and the higher-order characteristic parameter.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means comprises means for selecting one or a plurality of arbitrary spatial and/or time regions of interest as required. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means comprises means for tracing the object so that the whole thereof exists in a frame within its field of view. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means comprises means for correcting the movement of the whole of the object in a frame when the change of a part of the object is detected. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said primary processing means extracts a changed component image from corresponding images in the same portion of the frame at the time point T0 and the frame at the time point T1 which is updated in a predetermined relationship with the time point T0 by performing subtraction processing or division processing and/or referring to a look-up table prepared depending on the objective of information extraction, and extracts from the changed component image the primary information change including one of the surface integral of the changed component and the spatial center of gravity. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said secondary processing means compares the primary information change obtained in the primary processing means with a predetermined threshold value to perform labeling and predetermined arrangement every time the primary information change exceeds the threshold value, employs the primary information change as data arranged in time series, performs threshold processing, smoothing processing, interpolation processing and improvement in a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of a signal using a median filter, followed by at least one of differentiation and integration processing, subtraction processing, division processing, Schmitt trigger processing and averaging processing as required, to extract a time-series-signalized secondary information change having a physical meaning different from that of the time-series-signalized primary information change. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal control means is synchronized with at least one of warning means, event trigger and external control means by an input-output signal. 
     
     
       8. A method of extracting time series image information comprising the steps of: inputting a moving picture of an object;   performing primary processing for detecting a primary information change in each of corresponding regions of a frame at a time point T0 which is updated and a frame at a time point T1 which is updated in a predetermined relationship with the time point T0 with respect to natural time series information on said moving picture inputted at a predetermined frame rate, said primary information change representing a changed component image as one scalar or only one vector;   performing secondary processing for newly arranging said primary information change as an element to create a time-series-signalized primary information change which is arbitrary time series information and extracting a time-series-signalized secondary information change having a physical meaning different from that of the time-series-signalizing primary information change as required;   performing higher-order processing for extracting a higher-order characteristic parameter as required; and   outputting the time series image information, primary information change, natural time series information, time-series-signalized primary information change, arbitrary time series information, time-series-signalized secondary information change and the higher-order characteristic parameter.   
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of performing secondary processing comprises the steps of comparing the primary information change obtained in the step of performing primary processing with a predetermined threshold value to perform labeling and predetermined arrangement every time the primary information change exceeds the threshold value, employing the primary information change as data arranged in time series, performing threshold processing, smoothing processing, interpolation processing and improvement in a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of a signal using a median filter, followed by at least one of differentiation and integration processing, subtraction processing, division processing, Schmitt trigger processing and averaging processing as required, to extract a time-series-signalized secondary information change having a physical meaning different from that of the primary information change. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for extracting time series image information from a living body and treating the living body comprising: input means for inputting a moving picture of a living body;   primary processing means for detecting a primary information change in each of corresponding regions of a frame or field at a time point T0 which is updated and a frame at a time point T1 which is updated in a predetermined relationship with the time point T0 with respect to natural time series information on said moving picture inputted at a predetermined frame rate, said primary information change representing a changed component imae as one scalar or only one vector;   secondary processing means for newly arranging said primary information change as an element to create a time-series-signalized primary information change which is arbitrary time series information and extracting a time-series-signalized secondary information change having a physical meaning different from that of the time-series-signalized primary information change as required; and   higher-order processing means for extracting a higher-order characteristic parameter as required;   output means for outputting the time series image information, primary information change, natural time series information, time-series-signalized primary information change, arbitrary time series information, time-series-signalized secondary information change and the higher-order characteristic parameter;   external control means for controlling the apparatus with wired or wireless control network as required; and   internal control means for controlling the time series image information, primary information change, natural time series information, time-series-signalized primary information change, arbitrary time series information, time-series-signalizing secondary information change and the higher-order characteristic parameter.